Door handle and latch



Oct. 18, 1949. J. s. PALMER Erm. 2,485,012

nooR HANDLE AND LATCH Filed oct. 24. 1945 /BJI' /OMLC- p Patented Oct. 18, 1949 noon HANDLE AND LATCH John S. Palmer and Charles E. Sulcek, Chicago,

lll., assignors to International Harvester Company, a corporation of New Jersey Application October 24, 1945, Serial No. 624,300

'z claims. l

, a resilient seal member between a door and a cabinet.

Another specific object is to provide means for attaching a lock strike to-a sheet metal cabinet.

Another specic object is to provide a handle support incorporating a locking means for a padlock or the like.

Another object is to provide a completely concealed handle construction mounted on the outside of a cabinet with no securing means or mechanism exposed.

The above objects and others which will be apparent from the detailed description to follow are attained by a construction such as illustrated in the drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of a handle construction incorporated on a horizontal cabinet, with a portion of the shield and the handle construction broken away in section to better illustrate the elements thereof.

Figure 2 is a section taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the handle attaching member.

Figure 5 is a side elevation of the handle closure shield with associated parts in section.

The drawings show the handle construction of v,the invention as being incorporated in a horizontal freezer chest including a cabinet portion and a closure or door mounted horizontally thereabove and iiush with the outer wallof the cabinet.

A sheet metal outer wall Il) of the cabinet is formed at its upper edge with an integral folded portion II forming a wall of double thickness united at the upper edge. At the bottom of the wall portion II a ange I2 is provided extending at right angles from the wall. A member I3 is mounted on said flange to provide for the upper wall structure and the breaker strip mounting of the refrigeration cabinet.

I4 is mounted above the member I3 to provide a support for a rigid breaker strip supporting element I5. A breaker strip I6 of a resilient material is fitted over the element I5. This construction is not completely shown as it is not a part of the present invention. A channel-shaped member Il is mounted above the portion of the member I4 which is seated above the member I3. Said channel-shaped member is suitably secured to the cabinet structure by means not illustrated and provides securing means for the strike of the latch mechanism.

A U-shaped strip I8 is itted over the upper double edge portion of the wall I0, being secured thereto by spot welding. Said strip on the outside of the wall I0 is provided with a bent-out end I9. Said end serves to receive a hook portion 20 on the latch strike member indicated in its entirety by the reference character 2 I. It will be noted that the lower portion 23 of the strike slants upwardly and inwardly to provide a latch for a roller 24 which will be further described in connection with the handle structure. The strike 2| is also provided with a downwardly and outwardly inclined portion 25 which provides a cam surface for the roller 24 during closing of the door. The strike 2| is provided with a fiat horizontal portion 26 which lies within a recess 21 formed in the breaker strip I6 and seats against a bushing 28 which in turn rests on the upper portion of the channel-shaped member I1. A securing screw 29 holds the strike firmly in position after it has been latched under the outer end I9 of the member I8. It Will be understood that there are no exposed securing elements on the strike 2I, and that a rigid durable latch means is provided with only one securing element which lies within the upper Wall of the cabinet. For shipping, this strike can be readily removed by removing only the screw 29, thereby preventing damage to the strike or to adjacent objects by engagement with the strike.

The door or closure for the cabinet includes a substantially horizontal inner wall 30 and a dome-shaped outer wall 3l. Said outer wall is curved and joins a vertical portion 32 which is substantially in the same plane as the wall I0. A right-angle extension 33 of the vertical wall 32 lies in a horizontal plane. A resilient sealing member designated in its entirety by the reference character 34 has a ange 35 fitted between the wall 30 and the extension 33, forming a gasket therebetween, all of said elements being secured together by securing elements, one screw 36 of which is indicated in Figure 2. 'I'he sealing mem- A Z-,shaped member` bei; 34, in addition to the :tlange 35 has a double wall curved portion 31 which overlaps the edge of the horizontal wall 30 sealing the securing screws A reenforcing member 35 extends at an angle across the curved door wall 3| being rigidly secured to said wall and to the extension flange 33. A bushing 39 is fitted between said reenforcing member and the outer wall immediately above the vertical portion 32.

To provide means for removably securing handle structure to the curved door wall 3|, a handle attaching member designated in its entirety by the reference character 33' is secured by spot welding to the vertical portion 32 of the door. Said attaching member includes a ilat vertical portion 3| whichV is iltted against the vertical wall 32, an upward inwardly angled standing portion 32', side flanges 33', an extending ledge 34 at the upper end, and a U-shaped. hook extension 35' at its lower end. The portion 32' is formed with an opening 39' in alinement with the bushing 39 to provide for an attaching screw to be hereinafter described. The flanges 33 are provided with inwardly bent extensions 31 formed at their lower edges with notches 33' for securing a shield as will be hereinafter described.

A handle bracket designated in its entirety byy 4 A vertical channel-shaped member 51 is positioned between' the wall portions 52, the side ,flanges of the channel being rigidly secured as by welding to said side walls. A channel member 53 is mounted between the side walls 52 abutting the channel 51 `with its open tace directed toward the reference character 40 has a plate-like at' tachlng portion 4I which fits against, the vertical wall 3|' of the attaching member 30. An upward extension 42 overlaps the angled portion 32 and is provided with an opening in alinement with the opening through which a screw 43 is threaded into the bushing 39. The lower end of the plate portion 4l is provided with an edge 44 which are integral with and extend from the tension 35' on the attaching member 30'. By means of this securing element the lower portion of the bracket is secured without additional elements. This makes possible securing the bracketI to the door with only the use of the one securing element 43. The bracket includes two outwardly and downwardly extending portions 45 which are integral with and extend from the s sides of the plate portion 4|. Said portions 46, as best' shown in Figure- 1. are spaced a considerable distance apart for some distance from the cabinet and are then brought together by inwardly converging portions 41. said portions `loin-- ing with parallel contacting portions which -are welded together to forrn a narrow rigid bracket construction.'

A hinge pin 49 extends through alined openings in the spaced apart portions 45 of the bracket to form a support for a handle member 50. Said handle member has a curved outer wall 5I and spaced apart side walls 52, said side walls being formed with alined openings through which the hinge pin 49 extends. A coil spring 53 surrounding the hinge pin 49 has one end 54 abutting the plate portionv 4l of the bracket and another end portion 55 abutting the curved wall 59- of the handle. This spring is therefore effective to urge the handle 50 in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 2, or generally in a downward direction.

The side walls 52 are comparatively narrow at the bottom and are joined with a closing wall 56 which forms a closed structure for the bottom or not grasped portion of the handle. The side walls 52 vextend a substantially farther distancel above the grasping portion and terminate to form an open front for said handle in which the latch mechanism is mounted.

the cabinet. Screws 59 extend through slots 3l in the 'member'53 and are threaded into the member 51. Said slots and screws provide adjustable means for vertically shifting the channel member 53 for adjusting the position of the latch 'oller 24 with respect to the strike 2|. Said latch roller is rotatably mounted on a pin 5i which is iitted in alined openings 52 in the sides 0i' the channel member 53. Said pin is held in position against endwise movement by the side adiacent walls 52 of the handle member.

It will be noted that the curved wall 53 of the handle terminates a substantial distance from the door wall and from the threaded element 43. It is necessary to provide this clearance in order to lift the handle the desired angular distance to completely free the roller 24--from the strike 2|. In order to enclose thehinge mechanism against the entrance of liquids and foreign solid materials and to improve appearance and conceal the securing elements. a hooded shield 53 is fitted oversaid space, said shield overlapping the curved wall 50 as shown at 54 and being provided with side walls 55 which telescopically overlap the side walls 52 of the handle. Said shield 33 is secured in position by a reversible bent flange 68 which nts under the ledge 34' on the attaching member 39'. At its lower end the shield 33 is provided with inwardly turned anges 51 which snap under the ange extension 31' on the attaching member 30' and into the notches 33'.

To provide a locking means incorporated with the handle,`the extension 43 of the bracket 40 is provided with an opening 69 in transverse alinement with openings 10 in the side walls 52 of the handle 50. To provide a stop for hunting upward pivoting movement of the handle, abutment edges 1I are provided on the extensions 43 of the bracket 4c arranged to abut the inside of the channel 51. It will be noted that there is shown 'a space between the curved extension 48 of the bracket 40 and the curved wall 50. This space is sufficient to permit maximum movement of the latch roller 24 as determined by abutment of the edges of the walls 52 against the vertical wall 32 of the door.

The operation of applicants improved handle construction has been explained lin connection with the description of the drawings.A It is to be understood that applicants claim as their invention all modifications falling within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A latch mechanism adapted to engage a latch strike secured to a cabinet having a. horizontally opening cover,` comprising; Va bracket secured to the cover and extending outwardly therefrom and downwardly over the latch strike when the cover is in closed position, a handle member having side walls overlapping said bracket at both sides thereof and being pivotally secured thereto intermediate the ends thereof. spring means for .urging said handle in a direction towards the cabinet, a transverse member secured to the side walls of said handle member between the bracket when the cover is in closed position and the latch strike, a bracket secured to said member for vertical adjustment with respect thereto, and a latch element mounted on said latter bracket and adap'tedto engage the latch strike.

2. A latch mechanism adapted to engage a latch strike secured to a cabinet having a horizontally opening Icover, comprising; a bracket secured to the cover and extending outwardly therefrom and downwardly over the latch strike when the; cover is in closed position, a handle member having side walls overlapping said bracket at both sides thereof and being pivotally secured thereto, spring means for urging said handle in a downward direction towards vthe cabinet, a vertical transverse member secured to the side walls of said handle member, a bracket secured to said member for vertical adjustment wtih respect thereto, and a latch element mounted on said latter bracket and adapted to engage the latch strike.

3. A latch mechanism adapted to engage a latch strike secured to a cabinet having a horizontally opening cover, comprising; a bracket secured to the cover and extending outwardly therefrom over the latch strike when the cover is in closed position, a handle member having side walls overlapping said bracket at both sides thereof and being pivotally secured thereto, spring means for urging said handle in a direction towards the cabinet, a transverse member secured to the side walls of said handle member, and a latch element mounted on said transverse member and constructed to engage the latch strike, said bracket having a portion engageable with the transverse member to provide a stop for limiting movement of the handle member.

4.1i latch mechanism adapted to engage a latch strike secured to a cabinet having a horlzontally opening cover, comprising; a bracket secured to the cover and extending outwardly therefrom over the latch strike when the cover is in closed position, a pivot pin extending transversely of said bracket, a handle member having side walls overlapping said bracket at both sides thereof and being pivotally secured thereto by said pin, said bracket member extending downwardly within said handle beyond the pivot pin, spring means for urging said handle in a downward direction towards the cabinet, latch means carried by the handle member and adapted to engage the latch strike, said downwardly depending portion of the bracket on the cover being provided with a transverse opening and said handle member being provided with an aligned opening for the insertion of a locking member.

5. A latch mechanism adapted to engage a latch strike secured to a cabinet having a horizontally opening -cover comprising; a bracket secured to the cover and extending outwardly therefrom over the latch strike when the cover is '1n closed position, a pivot pin extending transversely of said bracket, a handle member `having side walls overlapping said bracket at [both sides thereof and being pivotally secured thereto by said pin, said bracket member extending downwardly within said handle beyond'the pivot pin, spring means surrounding the pivot pin and abutting the cover and the handle member for urging said handle in a downward direction towards the ment mounted on said latter Ibracket and adapted` to engage the *latch strike.

6. A latch mechanism adapted to engage a latch strike secured to a cabinet having a horizontally opening cover, comprising; a bracket secured to the cover and extending outwardly therefrom over the latch strike when the cover is in closed position, a pivot pin extending transversely of said bracket, a handle member having side walls overlapping said ybracket at -both sides thereof and being pivotally secured thereto by said pin, said bracket member extending downwardly within said handle beyond the -pivot pin, spring means surrounding the pivot pin and abutting the cover and the handle member for urging said handle in a downward direction towards the cabinet, a latch roller carried by the handle member and adapted to engage the latch strike, said downwardly depending portion of the bracket on the cover being provided with a transverse opening and said handle member being provided with an aligned opening for the insertion of a locking member, and a shield secured to the cabinet cover and extending over and around the upper portion of the handle member to cover the exposed parts thereof.

7. A latch mechanism adapted to engage a latch strike secured to a cabinet having a horizontally opening cover, comprising; a bracket secured tc the cover and extending outwardly therefrom over the latch strike when the cover is in closed position, a pivot pin extending transversely of said bracket, a handle member having side walls overlapping said bracket at both sides thereof and being pivotally secured thereto by said pin, said bracket member extending downwardly within said handle beyond the pivot pin, spring means surrounding the pivot pin and abutting the cover and the handle member for urging said handle in a downward direction towards the cabinet, a vertical transverse member secured to the side walls of said handle member, a bracket secured to said transverse member for vertical adjustment with respect thereto, and a latch roller mounted on said latter bracket and adapted to engage the latch strike, said downwardly depending portion of the .bracket on the cover being adapted to abut the transverse member to provide a stop 4for limiting upward pivoting during unlatching movement of the door handle.

JOHN S. PALNCER. CHAS. E. SULCEK.

REFERENCES orrnn The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS' Number Name Date Re. 15,908 Copeman Sept. 2, 1924 '1,845,335 Rosendahl Feb. 16, 1932 2,322,916 Burke June 29, 1943 2,345,432 Schweller Mar. 28, 1944 

